Are you ready to have yourself an old-fashioned red flannel town Christmas? Come on out and experience a day of goodwill and cheer on Saturday, December 7, when the Cedar Springs Area Chamber presents “A Red Flannel Town Christmas, Come Mingle with Kris Kringle.”

The day will start at 9 a.m. when Creative Technologies Academy will have an arts and crafts fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Businesses will be open and running specials beginning at 10 a.m.; and the Cedar Springs Historical Museum will do Christmas crafts from noon to 3 p.m.

New this year is the Red Flannel Town Christmas Parade, with registration at 4:30 p.m., and parade at 5 p.m. Following the parade will be a live nativity scene, tree lighting, caroling, and mingling with Kris Kringle at the corner of Main Street and Ash. Bring the whole family out for a fun, old-fashioned, red flannel town Christmas celebration! See ad on page 8.

A parade of emergency responder vehicles lit up the night Sunday, September 11, in honor of all of our local responders, and those lost on September 11, 2001.
There was a large American flag suspended over the roadway, and the parade kicked off with a five-year-old girl singing God Bless America. “The five-year singing…was very sweet and the large flag raised high over the road with the sunset behind it was beautiful! It was a nice tribute,” said Wanda Armstrong.
Many fire and police departments from the surrounding townships participated in the parade, including a police car from as far away as South Haven.
The first time around, the vehicles came through with sirens blaring and lights flashing, and the second go around was a somber time of remembrance, led by someone on the bagpipes.
“It was an honor to be there,” said Chris Maddox. “The first pass that (they) did was breathtaking, with all their lights and sirens going. The second pass—with only the lights on—created a somber moment as I reflected on t hose that died that terrifying day 10 years ago. I walked away very thankful that I was there to honor our heroes of today and the heroes of yesterday.”
The Red Flannel Festival will be having a firefighters parade (police and ambulance included, too) on Friday, September 23, in Cedar Springs. Click here for more details.